Mechanic{40 s light

ABSTRACT

A mechanic&#39;&#39;s light comprising an electric light socket connected by a swivel connection to one end of a handle-like member to permit pivotal movement between the socket and member about axes extending transversely to each other. The opposite end of the handle-like member has a hook connected thereto for attaching the light to a convenient object for support thereby and permit precise adjustment of the socket to project light accurately onto a desired area or object.

United atent Duddy MECHANIC 'S LIGHT [72] Inventor: James J. Duddy, 154Medcalf St., Lima, Ohio 45801 [22] Filed: June 3, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:149,730

[52] US. Cl ..240/52.3, 240/54 A [51] Int. Cl ..F21l 15/20 [58] Field ofSearch ..240/52.3, 52.1, 2.18, 54 A, 240/54 R, 8.18

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,491,170 12/1949 Ellis..240/52.3 3,308,289 j 3/1967' Conradi ..240/54 A R 15,102 5/1921Nikonow ..240/8. 18 2,165,562 7/1939 Mack et a1 ..240/8.18 1,170,0122/1916 Smith. ..240/54 A [4 1 Oct. 3, 1972 3,479,500 11/1969 Duddy..240/52R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 603,846 I/ 1926 France..240/54 A Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews AssistantExaminer-Russell E. Adams, Jr. Attomey-C. Hercus Just [5 7] ABSTRACT Amechanics light comprising an electric light socket connected by aswivel connection to one end of a handle-like member to permit pivotalmovement between the socket and member about axes extending transverselyto each other. The opposite end of the handle-like member has a hookconnected thereto for attaching the light to a convenient object forsupport thereby and permit precise adjustment of the socket to projectlight accurately onto a desired area or object.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDnm I912 3.696.239

INVENTOR. JAMES J. DUDDY ATT NEY MECHANIC 's LIGHT BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Many types of mechanics lights have been developed heretoforeand are presently in use in many fields of operations, particularly ingarages and repair shops of innumerable kinds. The principal type ofmechaniss light presently in use, which sometimes is referred to as adrop light or trouble lightff comprises an electric light socket adaptedto hold a bulb and sometimes is provided with a fixed handle extendingaxially from the closed end of the socket and from which a flexibleelectric cord extends for attachment to a source of current at theopposite end of the cord.

To protect the bulb mounted in the socket, it is common practice toattach a wire cage-like guard element to the rim of the stocket so as toenclose the bulb. Many types of protectors of this type also have ametal reflector extending partially around the bulb. It also is commonpractice to attach a fixed hook to the outer end of the protector sothat the lamp or light may be supported upon a suitable convenientobject while the light is hooked thereto by the hook provided on theenclosing guard or, not infrequently, the light is either laid upon asuitable object near the area where illumination is required or disposedupon the floor, ground or otherwise in the hopes of having the samereflect as well as possible in the direction where light is needed.

In most conditions of use of the type referred to above, it will be seenthat the light normally hangs pen dant-like from the hook which isconnected to the guard member and extends around a supporting objectsuch as part of an automobile or any other appropriate item eithercomprising part of the object being worked upon It is obvious that suchpendant-like support of the light very substantially limits anypossibility of accurately directing the light, especially when areflector is used, upon an area or object where illumination is desired.In an effort to overcome such limitations, attempts have been made toprovide various types of adjustable pedestals to which the lamp isclamped or attached by appropriate clamps or otherwise. Providing suchpedestals however adds to the expense of the necessary equipment to beused with the lamps in an effort to afford better illumination of workareas and ob ects.

The present invention comprises a very simple means for eliminating theshortcomings of conventional type mechanics lights of the type referredto in regard to the supporting means therefor and provides appropriateadjustable means of a unique type by which the light may be arranged todirect illuminating light upon substantially any object or area where itis needed, such adjustable supporting means being described hereinafter,as follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the principal object of the invention toprovide a mechanic's light having a handle-like projection connected toa socket which supports an electric light bulb, said connectioncomprising swivel means that permits pivotal adjustment between thehandle-like member and socket about axes which are transverse to eachother, said swivel means being connected to one end of said handle-likemember while a hook is connected to the opposite end thereof, wherebysaid hook is at one end of the light assembly and the bulb is at theopposite end, the handle also comprising a comfortable means for holdingthe light when it is desired to hold it manually.

It is another object of the invention to provide a swivel connectionwhich comprises a pair of clevises, the bight portions of which arepivotally connected together by a pin extending axially with respect tothe legs of the clevises, and the outer ends of said clevises beingconnected pivotally respectively to one end of said handle-like memberand a suitable projection on the socket for said electric light bulb.

It is a further object of the invention to provide said extension uponsaid socket so as to project therefrom a limited distance in a directionsubstantially transverse to the axis of said socket and thereby increasethe latitude of the possible position in which said socket may bearranged with respect to the hook on said handle-like member.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as otherobjects thereof, are set forth in the following specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawing comprising a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevation of amechanics light embodying the principles of the present invention, onepivotal arrangement thereof being illustrated in full lines, while analternate adjusted position is partially illustrated in phantom in saidfigure.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the light shown in FIG. I with thereflector for the light bulb illustrated in FIG. I being omitted in FIG.2 to simplify the illustration.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary transverse sectional view of the socket elementof the light shown in FIG. 1 as seen on the line 33 thereof, oneposition of the socket being illustrated in full lines with respect tothe axis of the swivel and three other exemplary positions of the socketbeing shown in phantom in said figure with respect to the axis of theswivel connection.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are small scale side elevations of the lamp shown in FIGS.1 and 2 and respectively illustrate different exemplary adjustedpositions of the light socket with respect to the supporting hook on thehandle-Iike member of the light.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electric lightsocket 10 is illustrated which may be of a variety of different typesbut preferably is formed from insulating material such as an appropriatesynthetic resin. The socket, for

convenience, may be molded from two complementary halves 12 and 14, bestshown in FIG. 2, said halves being connected by appropriate bolts 16extending through suitable ears 18, or otherwise.

The socket 10 preferably has an extension 20 which, similarly, may beintegral with the halves l2 and 14 of the socket 10 and thereby bemolded simultaneously therewith. Said complementary portions ofextension 20 may also be connected together by an additional bolt 22 andit will be seen that, preferably, the extension 20 is perpendicular tothe axis of socket l0 and extends therefrom intermediately of theopposite ends of said socket.

The light also includes a handle-like member 24 which is swivellyconnected to the socket 10 by means of a swivel connection 26.Particularly for insulating purposes, the swivel connection 26 alsopreferably is molded from suitable electrical insulating material suchas an appropriate synthetic resin. The handle 24 may be formed from anyappropriate material but in order to minimize expense, wood is suitable,but such indication is not intended to be restrictive and is onlyillustrative. A supporting hook 28, which may be formed from wire, forexample, is pivotally connected within a slot 30 in the end of thehandle opposite that which is connected to the swivel connection 26. Anappropriate pivot pin 32 extends through a loop in the end of the hook28 which is connected to the handle-like member 24 so as to permitadjustability of the hook with respect to the handle-like member. Thehandle-like member 24 is a convenient and comfortable means for holdingthe light manually and the hook 28 does not interfere therewith.

The swivel connection 26 comprises a pair of somewhat similar clevises32 and 34. The bight portions 36 and 38 thereof are similar and, ifdesired, may be cylindrical and frictionally engage each other. The sameare axially bored for pivotal connection by a pin or bolt 40. Ifdesired, a tensioning coil spring 42 of limited length may be disposedwith a suitable socket 44 within the bight portion 36, as shown in FIGS.1 and 2, said spring being maintained under compression by appropriatemeans such as a cotter pin 46.

The opposite ends of the swivel connection 26 respectively are pivotallyconnected to the end of the handle-like member 24, which is opposite theend that supports the hook 28, and to the outer end of the extension 20on socket 10. The end of the handle 48 which is connected to the clevis32 preferably may be reduced in thickness so as to readily dispose thesame between the legs of the clevis and a pivot bolt 50 extends betweenthe legs of the clevis and the end 48 of the member 24, preferably witha friction fit to permit limited adjustable pivotal movement between theswivel connection 26 and the handle-like member 24.

The legs of the clevis 34 pivotally receive therebetween a suitable endportion 52 of extension 20 on the socket l and another pivot bolt 54extends between the legs of the clevis 34 and the end portion 52 ofextension 20 with a friction fit similar to that provided between clevis32 and the end 48 of handle-like member 24.

Electric power is provided to the socket by means of a suitable flexibleconduit 56 which, for convenience, extends from the closed end of thesocket l0 and the opposite end of the socket has a reduced portion 58thereon for attachment of a suitable reflector 60 thereto. The specifictype of reflector 60 shown in FIG. 1 is intended solely for illustrationrather than restriction. It is obvious that other types of protectingmeans such as a wire cage-like guard or the like, provided withreflecting shells, if desired, may be connected to the socket 10 inorder to protect the electric bulb 62 therein. A conventional electricswitch button 64 is mounted upon the socket 10 for operation of asuitable switch therein, not shown.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that various exemplary positions ofthe socket 10 with respect to the pivot pin 40 of the swivel connection26 are shown in a full line illustration and a number of differentphantom illustrations. Said view is included primarily to illustrate theversatile possibilities of pivotal movement of the socket 10 relative tothe axis of the swivel connection 26 and handle-like member 24, torepresent pivotal movement about one axis as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. Inaddition however, innumerable pivoted positions between the socket 10and handle-like member 24 are possible by movement of said elementsabout the axes of pivot bolts 50 and 54, the axes of which aretransverse to the pivotal axis of pivot pin 40.

The distance between the pivot bolts 50 and 54 in a direction axially ofthe swivel connection 26 adds further latitude to the adjustablepositioning that is possible between the socket 10 and the handle-likemember 24, whereby the entire light assembly may be supported,pendant-like, by disposing the hook 28 over a suitable, convenientmeans, either connected to the object being worked upon which requiresillumination or from suitable and convenient adjacent objects. Thelength of the extension 20 upon the socket 10 also adds to theversatility of adjustable positioning between said socket andhandle-like member.

By reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, several purely exemplary adjustedpositions between the handle-like member 24 and socket 10 areillustrated for purposes of demonstrating the extensive versatilityinherent in the light assembly comprising the invention, for purposes ofdisposing illumination at precise locations, with maximum efficiency andaccuracy, due primarily to supporting the light socket 10 by means of ahandlelike member having a hook on the end thereof which is opposite theend connected to the socket 10 by means of the swivel connection 26,rather than by disposing a supporting hook outwardly from the light bulb62, for example, as is common in mechanics lights widely used atpresent.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its severalpreferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is notto be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and describedsince the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scopeof the invention as illustrated and described.

Iclaim:

l. A portable utility light for use by mechanics and the like comprisingin combination an electric socket adapted to support an electric lightbulb a cup shaped reflector attached to said socket and disposed todirect light axially of said socket, said socket having an integralextension projecting laterally therefrom mid-way of the length of saidsocket, said extension having a length substantially equal to the radialdimension of said reflector to provide an offset between the axis ofsaid socket and the end of said extension, an elongated substantiallycylindrical handle member, a swivel connection unit comprising twomembers swivelably connected in end-to-end relationship for relativerotational movement around an axis extending longitudinally of saidmembers and the opposite ends of said members respectively beingpivotally connected to one end of said handle member and to the outerend of said extension on said electric socket, and a supporting hookconnected to the opposite end of said handle for connection to aconvenient object to support said light thereby pendantly by said hookin an area to be illuminated by said light, said swivel connection unitbeing adapted selectively to be extended substantially in straight axialalignment with said handle and extension on said socket and also bepivotally and swivelably related between the same to provide an infinitenumber of positions of said socket and reflector relative to said hookto direct light in precise directions while said light is suspended bysaid hook.

2. The light according to claim 1 further including means extendingtransversely to the axis of the handle to pivotally connect said hook tosaid one end of said handle member to permit further adjustablepositioning of said socket relative to said hook in addition to theadjustment afiorded by said swivel connection unit.

3. The light according to claim 1 in which said reflecw tor has a radiusno greater than the axial length of said projection from the axis ofsaid socket.

4. The light according to claim 1 further including an electric cordextending from said socket adjacent said projection and separated fromsaid reflector thereby to increase the versatility of positioning saidsocket relative to said swivel connection.

2. The light according to claim 1 further including means extendingtransversely to the axis of the handle to pivotally connect said hook tosaid one end of said handle member to permit further adjustablepositioning of said socket relative to said hook in addition to theadjustment afforded by said swivel connection unit.
 3. The lightaccording to claim 1 in which said reflector has a radius no greaterthan the axial length of said projection from the axis of said socket.4. The light according to claim 1 further including an electric cordextending from said socket adjacent said projection and separated fromsaid reflector thereby to increase the versatility of positioning saidsocket relative to said swivel connection.